Why Back Injuries Are So Common in Car Accidents

Car accidents have lasting damage no matter their size. Even a small fender bender can leave you with long-term back and neck pain. What is it about car accidents that make back injuries so common, even if the accident was a small fender bender?

The personal injury lawyers at Mickey Keenan, P.A. will explain why they are so common and why it is so important to seek a qualified and experienced car accident attorney after an accident.

Causes of Back Injuries During a Car Accident

When your vehicle collides with another vehicle or object, no matter the speed or force, there is always an effect on your body.

This effect is explained by Newton’s Law of Motion; this law states that a body will continue moving in motion at the same speed and same direction until it is acted upon by an external force. This means that when a car accident occurs, your body will continue moving until it collides with either a seat belt, steering wheel, airbag, windshield, or some other object, such as the ground in worst-case scenarios.

This motion is violent and traumatic to your body, even at low speeds. It can cause sprains, fractures, and whiplash on numerous body parts, but especially on your back, spinal cord, and neck. Sometimes these injuries can be felt immediately, and others, such as soft tissue problems, can take many days to become noticeable.

This is why it is so important to seek medical treatment right away, even if you feel okay, so medical professionals can rule out any critical issues and help shorten your recovery time.

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Common Back Injuries and Symptoms from a Car Accident

Back injuries after a car accident can vary greatly and you can also have more than one type of injury. Typical back injuries may include strains, sprains, fractures, and herniated discs. Most of these injuries are a result of whiplash, which occurs when the neck and head are abruptly forced backward and forward—like a whip.

After a car accident, you may notice these common back injury symptoms:

Muscle spasms
Burning pain (can move down your back, through your bottom, and into your legs)
Stiffness
Tingling or numbness
Sharp pain
Discomfort when standing or walking
Headaches, dizziness, and disorientation are also common symptoms that occur from a cervical vertebra/whiplash injury

These symptoms can be indicators of more severe injuries. Some of the most common back injuries from a car accident are:

Back sprains and strains
Herniated discs
Facet joint issues
Lumbar or thoracic vertebrae fractures
Spondylolisthesis
Discogenic pain
Degenerative spinal disorders

Common Treatments for Back Pain After a Car Accident

Treatment for back pain and injuries will vary by the type of injury, the location, and the severity. To figure out the best treatment plan and options, you should see a medical professional right away. In some cases, whiplash symptoms will subside over time, but other injuries may increase over time without proper treatment.

Common treatments for back pain may include:

Rest
Gentle stretching
Back brace
Physical therapy
Chiropractic care
Anti-inflammatory medications
Corticosteroid injections
Spine surgery

These treatments can drastically vary in price, exactly why it is so important to seek assistance from a personal injury lawyer at Mickey Keenan, P.A. to make sure you are compensated appropriately for your pain and suffering, lost wages, hospital bills, and ongoing medical expenses.

The Importance of a Personal Injury Attorney on Your Side after a Car Accident

Most car accident victims do not consider pursuing a personal injury lawyer after a car accident because they may feel it is not that serious or their injuries are too minor or will go away over time. But not consulting with a personal injury lawyer is a huge mistake.

Back injuries can cause a lifetime of pain and suffering and ongoing medical expenses—even if it is just physical therapy or chiropractic care. That’s more time off work and more money out of pocket that you should not have to pay.

At Mickey Keenan, P.A. we take every claim seriously and aggressively pursue insurance companies to make our clients as close to whole as they were before the accident. No car accident victim should ever have to pay out of pocket for any sort of medical treatment, whether it’s a back brace or spine surgery.

Call us today at (813) 871-1300 for a free consultation and see how we can make you whole again.